Therapeutic agent delivery device and method

• US 7,367,335 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Original Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Inventors: Fuhrman, Bradley P., Dowhy, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu; Justine R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dixon; Annette
• Application Number:
  US10/610,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20040003808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.14, 128/200.24, 128/203.12, 128/204.22, 128/205.12, 128/204.18, 128/205.28, 128/203.25, 128/200.16, 128/200.18, 128/200.21, 128/200.22, 128/910, 128/911
• US Class Current: 128/203.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/00 Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes in general B05B; aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/01 specially adapted for anaesthetising A61M16/104, A61M16/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0891 Closed circuit, e.g. for anaesthesia
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/104 specially adapted for anaesthetics A61M16/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/22 Carbon dioxide-absorbing devices ; Other means for removing carbon dioxidecartridges with absorbing substances for respiratory apparatus A62B19/00

Abstract

A method of delivering a particulate therapeutic agent is disclosed. Such a method may include providing a carbon dioxide scrubber in pneumatic communication with the respiratory system of a patient. Gas and particulate therapeutic agent expired by the patient are passed through the scrubber to provide treated gas, and the treated gas and particulate therapeutic agent are provided back to the respiratory system.

Claims

1. A method of delivering a particulate therapeutic agent, comprising:

(a) providing a patient having a respiratory system;

(b) providing a dose of particulate therapeutic agent to a gas, and delivering the agent and the gas to the respiratory system;

(c) providing a carbon dioxide scrubber in pneumatic communication with the respiratory system;

(d) providing gas expired from the respiratory system, and particulate therapeutic agent expired from the respiratory system;

(e) passing the expired gas and expired particulate therapeutic agent through the scrubber to treat the expired gas, and thereby provide treated gas;

(f) passing the expired gas and expired particulate therapeutic agent out of the scrubber to provide treated gas; and

(g) providing the treated gas and expired particulate therapeutic agent to the respiratory system;

(h) repeating (d) through (g), until the expired particulate therapeutic agent carried by the gas is substantially absorbed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a ventilator; and

moving the ventilator to force the therapeutic agent into the respiratory system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the therapeutic agent includes nebulizing the therapeutic agent.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulate therapeutic agent is a liquid.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the particulate therapeutic agent is a solid.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing oxygen to the patient.